Chey Tae-won Net Worth

Chey Tae-won has an estimated net worth of $4.1 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Chey Tae-won profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $3.2 billion in 2019.

Chey Tae-won is a South Korean businessman who leads SK Group, one of Korea’s largest conglomerates. He has been chairman since 1998. During his time at the top, SK grew into South Korea’s second largest corporate group. The business spans telecom, semiconductors, chemicals, and energy. Its best-known units include SK Telecom, SK Hynix, and SK Innovation. He also became chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in March 2021.

His wealth is tied to SK Group’s big industrial businesses, especially oil and semiconductors. He held leadership roles across key affiliates before taking over the wider group. Later, he became chairman of SK Innovation in 2011, SK Hynix in 2012, and SK Telecom in February 2022. SK Telecom is South Korea’s No. 1 mobile carrier by market share, while SK Hynix is the world’s second-largest memory chipmaker by sales.

How Chey Tae-won built his fortune

Chey Tae-won’s fortune comes from his position at SK Group and the scale of the companies inside it. SK has interests across telecom, semiconductors, chemicals, and energy. That mix gives him exposure to several major industries at once. The group also has 186 subsidiaries, including SK Telecom, SK Hynix, and SK Innovation. Forbes places him in the technology industry, while also tying his wealth to oil and semiconductor businesses.

A big part of the story is SK’s reach in essential sectors. SK Telecom leads South Korea’s mobile market by share, giving the group a strong telecom base. SK Hynix adds another major pillar as the world’s second-largest memory chipmaker by sales. Chey has also directly chaired several of these businesses, including SK Innovation, SK Hynix, and SK Telecom. Those roles connect his wealth closely to the performance of large operating companies inside the group.

Forbes net worth updates

Chey Tae-won’s Forbes estimate moved sharply across the past few years. Forbes valued him at $3.2 billion in 2019, then $1.5 billion in 2020. The estimate returned to $3.2 billion in 2021 before slipping to $2.4 billion in 2022. It then fell again to $1.6 billion in 2023 and $1.5 billion in 2024. Those swings fit a fortune tied to large public-facing businesses in chips, energy, and telecom.

The most recent Forbes updates show a strong rebound. After dipping to $1 billion in 2025, Forbes put him at $3.6 billion on the 2026 World’s Billionaires list. Forbes’ real-time tracker later showed $4.1 billion in October 2026, which is also the current figure we track. His wealth remains linked to SK Group’s broad portfolio, especially semiconductor and energy businesses, so changes in those areas can move the estimate.